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Nashville SC vs Columbus Crew preview: next match kick-off and venue

The next Nashville SC match sees the Eastern Conference leaders host Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer on 23 August 2026. This Nashville SC vs Columbus Crew preview focuses on a high-stakes Regular Season - 21 clash at Geodis Park in Nashville, with the home side looking to consolidate top spot and extend their strong home record.

For fans wondering when Nashville SC play next, this fixture kicks off at 00:30 UTC, with the game listed as Not Started in the match centre. Nashville arrive in excellent form and sit first in the Eastern Conference standings, while Columbus Crew travel as a struggling away side needing points to climb from the lower half of the conference table. With recent head-to-head meetings largely favouring Nashville, this Nashville SC vs Columbus Crew preview sets up a compelling encounter.

Match details: date, kick-off & venue

  • Competition: Major League Soccer, Regular Season - 21
  • Date / Kick-off: 2026-08-23T00:30:00Z
  • Venue: Geodis Park, Nashville
  • Status: Not Started (Fixture has not started yet)

Standings & form

Nashville SC come into this game sitting 1st in the Eastern Conference with 46 points from 20 matches. Their record stands at 14 wins, 4 draws and just 2 defeats, with a goal difference of +25 (40 scored, 15 conceded). At Geodis Park they have been dominant: 9 wins, 1 draw and 0 losses from 10 home fixtures, scoring 29 and conceding 10. Their recent conference form is listed as WWDLW, underlining their consistency at the top end of the table.

Columbus Crew arrive in Nashville placed 12th in the Eastern Conference on 20 points after 20 games. Their overall record is 5 wins, 5 draws and 10 defeats, with a goal difference of -5 (28 scored, 33 conceded). Away from home they have struggled, taking just one win on the road with an away record of 1 win, 3 draws and 6 losses, scoring 15 and conceding 22. Their recent form line reads LLDWL, highlighting the challenge they face against a strong Nashville outfit.

Season statistics reinforce these trends. Nashville SC have put together a longest winning streak of 5 consecutive victories and have kept 9 clean sheets in 20 league games, split between 3 at home and 6 away. They have also been clinical from the spot, scoring 3 penalties from 3 attempts. Columbus Crew, by contrast, have managed 3 clean sheets (all at home) and have failed to score in 3 matches. From a tactical standpoint, Nashville have frequently lined up in 4-4-2, 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1, while Columbus have relied heavily on a 4-4-2 base shape.

Head-to-head

  • 2026-03-14: Columbus Crew 0–1 Nashville SC (Major League Soccer)
  • 2026-02-11: Nashville SC 1–0 Columbus Crew (Friendlies Clubs)
  • 2025-07-17: Nashville SC 3–0 Columbus Crew (Major League Soccer)
  • 2025-05-29: Columbus Crew 2–2 Nashville SC (Major League Soccer)
  • 2024-07-03: Columbus Crew 2–0 Nashville SC (Major League Soccer)
  • 2024-03-31: Nashville SC 2–2 Columbus Crew (Major League Soccer)
  • 2023-06-24: Columbus Crew 2–0 Nashville SC (Major League Soccer)
  • 2023-05-29: Nashville SC 3–1 Columbus Crew (Major League Soccer)
  • 2022-04-02: Columbus Crew 0–1 Nashville SC (Major League Soccer)
  • 2021-10-21: Nashville SC 1–1 Columbus Crew (Major League Soccer)

The head-to-head record shows a competitive rivalry with a slight edge to Nashville SC in recent seasons. Nashville have recorded several notable home wins, including 3–0 at Geodis Park in July 2025 and 3–1 in May 2023, while also winning 1–0 away in both April 2022 and March 2026. Columbus Crew have responded with home victories such as 2–0 scorelines in July 2024 and June 2023, and there have been multiple draws, including 2–2 results in May 2025 and March 2024, plus a 1–1 draw in October 2021.

Team news & absences

For Nashville SC, W. Madrigal is listed as Questionable with a Lower-Body Injury ahead of this fixture.

Columbus Crew have several confirmed absentees. W. Abou Ali (Knee Injury), S. Bangoura (Ankle Injury) and J. Thiare (Leg Injury) are all marked as Missing Fixture for this Nashville trip. These injuries could impact Columbus’ attacking options and squad depth.

Key players to watch

  • S. Surridge (Nashville SC) — 12 goals in Major League Soccer 2026, leading the Nashville attack and a major threat in front of goal.
  • C. Espinoza (Nashville SC) — 3 goals and 8 assists, a key creative outlet whose service from wide and set-pieces has been crucial.

Prediction

The data-driven Nashville SC vs Columbus Crew prediction model strongly favours the hosts avoiding defeat. The prediction percentages give 45% home win, 45% draw and 10% away win, with the advisory tip listed as: “Double chance : Nashville SC or draw”. With Nashville’s formidable home record, higher Eastern Conference standing and better recent form, Columbus Crew will need a significant improvement on their away performances to upset the odds at Geodis Park.

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